SBIR Phase I: Optical Ethylene Monitor for Food Crop Quality Assurance

SBIR 第一阶段：用于粮食作物质量保证的光学乙烯监测器

• 批准号: 0738329
• 负责人: Jeffrey Pilgrim
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: VISTA PHOTONICS, INC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-01-01 至 2008-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0738329&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Optical; Ethylene; Monitor

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I research project will determine the performance and operating specifications for a high-sensitivity laser spectrometer suitable for selective detection of trace ethylene during crop processing applications. Crops react to environmental stressors by releasing ethylene at low levels. If these levels can be detected, stressors may be mitigated before crop viability is compromised, significantly reducing waste. For post-harvest crop processing, real-time detection of rot or senescence can prevent contamination from spreading to entire batches during storage or transport. Present monitors are inadequate due to sensitivity, selectivity, time response or cost. New faster monitors will be enabling components for controlled plant growth, early detection of stress, precise application of ripening inhibitors and other chemical agents, and successful long-term storage and delivery. This tightly monitored life cycle from seed to seed will provide today's agricultural industry the tools to continually increase production yields. This compact, rugged, real-time, parts-per-billion gaseous ethylene analyzer will be suitable for widespread application in the agricultural industry. It will reduce the loss of crops due to undiscovered environmental, processing, storage and transport stress. The basic technology can extend to other trace gas detection applications including biomedical breath diagnosis. Additional applications abound in detection of trace environmental species important to health, occupational safety, and global warming.

这项小型企业创新研究第一阶段研究项目将确定高灵敏度激光光谱仪的性能和操作规范，该光谱仪适用于在作物加工应用中选择性检测微量乙烯。农作物对环境压力的反应是释放低水平的乙烯。如果能够检测到这些水平，在作物生存能力受到损害之前，压力因素可能会得到缓解，从而显著减少浪费。对于收获后的作物加工，实时检测腐烂或衰老可以防止污染物在储存或运输过程中扩散到整个批次。目前的监测仪由于灵敏度、选择性、响应时间或成本等方面的原因而不足。新的更快的监控器将使部件能够控制植物生长，及早检测胁迫，精确应用成熟抑制剂和其他化学制剂，并成功地长期储存和交付。这种从种子到种子的严密监控的生命周期将为今天的农业提供持续提高产量的工具。这种紧凑、坚固、实时、十亿分之几的气体乙烯分析仪将适合在农业行业中广泛应用。它将减少因未发现的环境、加工、储存和运输压力而造成的作物损失。这项基本技术可以扩展到其他痕量气体检测应用，包括生物医学呼吸诊断。在检测对健康、职业安全和全球变暖至关重要的痕量环境物种方面，其他应用比比皆是。